Travel in Disarray throughout China as Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Shenzhen and more Experiences over a Dozen Flight Cancellations by Hainan Airlines, New Update

Published on December 1, 2025

Travel across China faces interruptions starting on 30th November and continuing on 2nd December, 2025. Operational issues severely impacted Hainan Airlines’ domestic routes. This disruption wasn’t minor; it was widespread and significant. The latest data reveals sixteen outright cancellations and eighty-seven total delays. This means one out of every ten flights faced a schedule change. Major airports felt the immediate pressure. For instance, key hubs like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou saw their schedules thrown into disarray.

Furthermore, critical economic centers such as Shenzhen and Hangzhou faced major inconvenience. The disruption extended deep into the nation’s interior, affecting cities like Lanzhou, Chengdu and Xi’an. Coastal cities like Tianjin, Dalian and Ningbo were also compromised. Even regional gateways like Changsha and Guilin were not spared. This sudden cascade of service failures by Hainan Airlines highlights a critical vulnerability in the country’s vast and complex air travel network. The immediate impact on hundreds of travelers became instantly apparent.

A Breakdown of the Affected Flights

The disruption to Hainan Airlines’ schedule was widely distributed over a two-day period, affecting both late evening services and crucial morning operations. The aircraft types involved were primarily the narrow-body Boeing B738 and the wide-body Airbus A330 and A332, suggesting the issues impacted both high-frequency regional routes and longer-haul corridors. For instance, the B738 was involved in 13 of the listed services, while the A330 and A332 were utilized for connections between major economic centers. This mix of affected aircraft types suggests the operational strain was not limited to a single fleet segment.

The reported disruptions affected a complex web of high-value domestic routes, linking key economic and regional centers across China. The capital, Beijing, was impacted on a key route to Guangzhou, while Shanghai was connected to Chengdu in a round-trip service that experienced disruption. The route from Guangzhou to Hangzhou was affected, as were several segments connecting Lanzhou via Tianjin to Dalian. The operational sequence involving these multiple legs is particularly vulnerable to initial delays, which then propagate across the network.

Delays

Beyond the 16 outright cancellations, a total of 87 flights were registered as delayed, representing a 10% delay percentage across the broader operational window. This proportion indicates that the operational challenges were not isolated incidents but rather a widespread strain on the airline’s capacity to maintain schedule integrity. The cumulative effect of these delays across the Hainan Airlines network results in substantial inconvenience for passengers and places considerable pressure on airport resources in cities like Shenzhen and Hangzhou.

Affected Airports

The travel disruption was felt across 13 major airports, spanning the geography of China from north to south and east to west. These facilities are critical hubs for both business and leisure travel.

The major affected airports included:

• Beijing Capital Int’l (PEK)
• Shanghai Pudong Int’l (PVG)
• Guangzhou Baiyun Int’l (CAN)
• Shenzhen Bao’an Int’l (SZX)
• Hangzhou Xiaoshan Int’l (HGH)
• Chengdu Tianfu Int’l (TFU)
• Lanzhou Zhongchuan International (LHW)
• Tianjin Binhai Int’l (TSN)
• Dalian Zhoushuizi Int’l (DLC)
• Changsha Huanghua Int’l (CSX)
• Ningbo Lishe Int’l (NGB)
• Xi’an Xianyang Int’l (XIY)
• Guilin Liangjiang Int’l (KWL)

Probable Impact on Local Tourism

The operational instability of a major carrier like Hainan Airlines has a probable negative impact on local tourism in the affected cities. Destinations such as Guilin, famous for its karst landscape and Xi’an, a primary cultural site, rely heavily on reliable air connectivity to facilitate the flow of domestic visitors. When flights into these cities are canceled or substantially delayed, pre-booked itineraries are compromised, leading to a loss of revenue for local hotels, tour operators and related businesses. For commercial centers like Shenzhen and Guangzhou, the delays also disrupt vital business travel, slowing economic activity dependent on timely meetings and commerce. The disruption across a large portion of China’s network can deter future booking confidence, particularly during peak travel seasons.

What Affected Passengers Can Do Now

Passengers whose travel plans have been compromised by the Hainan Airlines cancellations and extensive delays are strongly advised to seek current, confirmed information directly from the airline. For flights that were canceled, travelers should be offered a full refund or re-routing on the next available service, either with Hainan Airlines or a partner carrier, as per standard airline procedure. It is essential that affected travelers obtain official documentation, such as a Delay or Cancellation Certificate, from the airline. This paperwork is crucial for passengers needing to process travel insurance claims or lodge formal complaints regarding the substantial travel disruption experienced within China’s air traffic system.

-The information provided is sourced from FlightAware.